Page 46 of Gio

“I’ll go get her. She’s meeting with Senator Merchant’s chief of staff today about planning a private fundraiser.”

He stopped and his brows shot up. “Seriously?”

“Yeah. She’s pretty excited about it. I’ll pick her up and you haul ass back to the clubhouse and let them know everything we saw today.”

“Yeah, okay.” He nodded but he had more to say. “Keep her safe Gio.”

“I will. I promise.” It was a promise I would die before breaking.

Chapter 27

Harper

“You’re a local girl.” Marla Washington eyed me over her ultra-stylish red eyeglasses, the words sounded more like an accusation than a question. “I didn’t realize that, which makes this even better.”

I blinked. “How does that make anything better?” I’d run from Steel City as fast as I could and I never looked backed, hadn’t even considered coming back until I landed here by accident.

Marla smiled. “In politics, local is everything, that’s how.”

This was the oddest meeting I’d ever been invited to. I wondered if Serena dealt with oddball clients like this all the time before she passed them along to the planners who worked for her. Marla didn’t seem like she’d work for a politician. She seemed more like a society wife or a cutthroat fashion editor, but her demeanor was very girl next door. It was confusing and I was on edge from the moment I walked inside her local office inside a nondescript office building in downtown Las Vegas. “Well, okay.”

“I think you’ll do a great job with this event, Harper. And if so, just remember that this fundraiser will be filled with people who spend half of their lives attending or hosting various fundraisers.”

I nodded, understanding her meaning clearly. “I will do my best.” The budget for this thing was outrageous and the expectations were high, but not demanding. “I like to geteverything down before we do another meeting, if that’s all right. I know you’re busy, so I find it works best to approach with options and costs for everything before we make anything official.”

“That sounds perfect, Harper.” She stood and I did the same. “I appreciate you coming down here for this meeting. I have three more scheduled today or else we could’ve done this at a restaurant.”

“Not a problem. I’ll be in touch.”

Her phone rang in the middle of her goodbye and I found the exit on my own, happy for a moment to myself. Marla was intimidating as hell, but this opportunity was one I couldn’t pass up, and I wouldn’t. But the short elevator ride to the lobby was more than enough time for me to freak out over whether or not I needed to inform Nicole and Serena about it. This was a local job, and Marla had come to me, not Serena.

Still, it didn’t feel right. But it didn’t feel wrong.

I stepped out onto the sidewalk just as my phone rang. Gio’s name popped up and a smile instantly lit my face, which was something I’d worry about at a later date. “Hey! You must have a sixth sense or something because I just finished up with Marla.”

“Harp.” Gio’s voice was tight with tension. “Whatever you do, don’t leave the building. I’m on my way to get you right now but some shit might be going down and I need you to stay inside.”

My heartrate kicked up and I looked left and then right, finding the busy street lacked danger. I relaxed and backtracked into the building with a smile for the receptionist who mostly directed traffic. “What’s going on?”

“Not sure yet but I just have a bad feeling.”

“Okay. I’m inside.”

“Good. I’ll call you back when I’m outside.” He ended the call before I could say anything, which was good because my hands shook so badly that I dropped my phone, and it took three attempts to pick it up.

Gio was a lot of things, but he wasn’t a worrier. Despite the dangers of the MC life, he was capable and prepared, and he knew how to handle just about anything that came his way, so hearing the worry in his voice had me freaked out. I tried to keep calm but as I paced up and down the lobby, every worst-case scenario played in my head. Thankfully I didn’t have much of an imagination because both scenarios involved me or Gio getting tortured and then killed.

The familiar ringtone that belonged to Gio sounded in the lobby and startled me from my thoughts. I answered the call, “Gio?”

“Yeah, I’m right outside.”

I nodded and looked through the glass door. “I’m on my way.” I stepped out into the chilly evening air and Gio seemed so far away. The sidewalk was wider than most, but every step felt like it took great effort. I was walking fast but it seemed like I was making no progress as my gaze scanned the area for threats.

Suddenly a shot rang out and my feet stopped moving. I looked in horror as Gio’s body twisted back and to the left before he toppled off his bike.

“Gio!” I don’t know how I got them moving but I started to run towards the bike, towards Gio. “Gio,” I called out again but suddenly my legs were off the ground. I was floating. No, Iwasn’t floating, someone had grabbed me. “Let me go!” I kicked and screamed and squirmed with every ounce of my body.

“Are you sure this is her? She looks like a business lady.” The voice was muffled and lightly accented.

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